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n. 1. One who ostentatiously exhibits academic knowledge or who pays undue attention to minor details or formal rules. 2. Obsolete A schoolmaster. [French pédant or Italian pedante (French, from Italian), possibly from Vulgar Latin *paedēns, *paedent-, present participle of *paedere, to instruct, probably from Greek paideuein, from pais, paid-, child; see PEDO-2.] |
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